Deciduous Flowering Shrubs - Part 6, Continued

loam and coarse grit - the mix needs to drain quickly when watered. If you use a bagged mix, you'll need to add some slow release fertilizer, like Osmacote, according to package directions.

Alternate Methods

I've read several posts indicating that hydrangeas can be rooted in water. I haven't tried this, but intend to and assume that this would only work with the easily rooted species.

One saved a post, from some list, recommending the use of the expandable jiffy peat pellets as a medium, placing the stem in an expanded one and putting the cutting in a deep, clear plastic glass, loosely covering the top with plastic wrap to make a mini greenhouse.

Some people even advocate simply putting the cuttings in a shady spot and misting them to keep them moist. In my climate, this would be hard to accomplish, but in a damper, cooler climate, it might work. You do not want to let your cuttings wilt - ever!

Air Layering

You can also try air-layering if you have a large shrub and want a large plant to begin with. These instructions were posted on an email list:

Gently scrape the stem of the plant where you want roots to form for a new plant. Surround the wounded scrape with moist sphagnum or peat moss. Enclose this mass by wrapping a plastic bag or plastic wrap around it and securing both ends with twist ties. Make sure the moss remains damp - not soppy - and don't let it dry out. In a few weeks, you should see roots forming inside of the moss. Once there are a nice lot of roots, sever the stem below the root mass and remove the plastic wrap. Pot it up or plant it out in a prepared bed.

Vegetative Propagation Notes By Species

H. anomala - Is difficult to root. Dirr has collected cuttings in July, treated with 1,000 ppm IBA and had 5% rooting. He says the optimum time to take cuttings is late spring or early summer, before the stems turn brown; July cuttings have been rooted using .09 to 1.0% IBA;

H. arborescens - Soft wood cuttings from late May, June and July growth root easily. Also, semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings will root. Rooting is hastened with IBA treatment although rooting percentage will approach 100% with nothing. Clumps can be divided in early spring.

H. macrophylla -Very easy to root from cuttings taken from May onwards. Cuttings taken

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